Pneumatic grain elevator



June 21, 1949. A. B, WELTY 2,474,205

I PNEUMATIC GRAIN ELEVATOR Filed Nov. 14, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 21, 1949. A. B. WELTY PNEUMATIC GRAIN ELEVATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1945 3L5. ZdeZ@.. $9 GMLQ'P Patented Jun 21, 1949 Albert 1;. WeltyrMoline, ni., asslgnor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 14, 1945, Serial No. 628,410

This invention relates to a new and improved pneumatic grain elevator and has for one of its principal objects the provision of means for raising grain from a low level to a relatively high 2 Claims. 7 (01.302-59) matic grain elevator of this invention shown in operating installation;

Figure 2 is a detail sectional vie of the grain cleaning and discharging device of e pneumatic level by means of suction. 5 elevator as shown in Figure 1 and taken on the An important object of this invention is to line 22 of Figure 3; 7 provide a grain cleaning means in combination Figure 3 is an elevational detail of the grain with a pneumatic .grain elevator. cleaning chamber of the pneumatic elevator;

Another important object of this invention is Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line the provision of a grain discharge device located 10 4'l of Figure 3'; and intermediate the grain to be elevated and the Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line source of suction. 5-5 of Figure 2.-

A further important object of this invention As shown in the drawings: is to provide a pneumatic lifting means for grain, The reference numeral l0 indicates generally such as corn or rice, which has been previously a wagon carrying grain such as rice or corn. The loaded in a wagon by field traversing corn har- W o has been pulled to a Position closely vesters and harvester threshers respectively. adjacent a grain storage bin II. The storage bin The pneumatic grain elevator of this inven- H is equipped with a top portion l2 having an tion is designed to provide a flexible elevator for opening l3 t ou which grain y Cereal unloading grain brought to storage bins' by may be introduced to the stora e inwagons or trucks. The ordinary bucket-type The pneumatic elevator of this invention is conveyor for unloading wagons is not fully satisequipped with a flexible conduit or nozzle l4 factory in that it is somewhat limited in its ap d to be inserted in e -fi d W on flexibility and further that there is no means of t. A f It o o d e a ve y distant m cleaning the grain prior to depositing it in the e Wagon 0 adapted to D e 8110171011111 the storage bins without puttin the grain through flexible conduit I through the intermediate conan additional cleaning operation, Th map necting conduits I6 and H. The fan l5 draws the matic elevator of this invention removes the ra n from he Wagon l0 up through e xible grain from a. wagon at a relatively l 1 1 conduit I4 and thence through the stationary con-- raises .it by suction created at a distance from 3 duit i1 and into an enlarged grain cleaning chamthe wagon unloading conduit. The grain being her law elevated is permitted to enter an enlarged cham- The grain cleaning chamber is joined at its her within which the grain is permitted to fall top at H to the conduit d at its bottom is downwardly, and any foreign particles such as provided with a downwardly depending s e, dirt, dust, and chaff which a li ht t th tube 20 which enters the roof i2 of the storage bin grain are carried upwardly and out of the en- H at the Opening AS best Shown in u e larged chamber by the remote source of suction. the grain enters the cleaning chamber l3 through It is, therefore, an important-object of this inthe conduit As Previously Statedthe grain vention to provide a pneumatic elevator with an cleaning chamber is relatively large and acts enlarged grain cleaning chamber for auto 40 somewhat like an expansion chamber. The sucmatically separating grain from foreign particles. tion m h conduit is relatlvely t whereas I Another and still further important object is the suctlon within the enlarged gram cleantng the provision of adjustable air intake means for chamber has b relatively reduced by the an enlarge-d gram cleaning chamber. creased volume. The reduced suction causes the v gram entering the chamber to fall downwardly Still another object of the invention is to prothrough the cleanin chamber to th di ch r vide a grain discharge device capable of resisting pipe 20 at the end thereof g i Passage of air and yet of discharging grain t e s c on created by the fan l5 requires the passage of air intervals depending on the qu n i y of grain to through the conduits so that the elevator will e s a have lifting characteristics. .An absence of a Other and f e important bjects of this supply of air to the pneumatic elevator would invention will become apparent from the followrender the elevator inoperative. A valve M is ing specification and accomp y g drawings in provided in skirt enclosure portion 22 of the clean- Which: ing chamber IS. The skirt 22 encircles the clean- Figure i is a side elevational view of the pneuing chamber I8 and has communication with tho atmosphere only through the valve 2|. Slots 23 are provided in the cleaning chamber 18 to permit passage of air from the valve 21 through the chamber formed by the skirt 22. The provision of the valve 2|. the skirt 22, and the slots 23 permits air to be taken in for use by the pneumatic elevator. The first function of the air admitted is to form a suction on which the grain from the wagon It may be carried upwardly through the flexible conduit l4 and the stationary conduit ll. The second function of the air admitted is to assist in the removal of foreign matter, such as chafl and dirt, from the grain.

When the grain from the wagon enters the cleaning chamber l8 it is sufliciently heavy to drop through the enlarged chamber due to the decreased suction and passes right down over the slots 23 to the downwardly depending dis charge member 20. The air drawn in through the valve 2! and the slots 23 passes upwardly through the cleaning chamber l8 and then through the conduit is to the fan l5. Although the suction has been reduced so that it is not sufiiciently strong to remove grain upwardly through the chamber 18, it does have sumcient force to remove amr foreign lighter particles than the grain, and as a result the grain is v very efiiciently separated from chaff and the dirt.

The suction created by the fan is has its air intake regulated by the valve 2!. The discharge conduit 20 extending downwardly from the cleaning chamber is also provides an opening to the atmosphere which if not stopped would completely oiiset the value of the regulated air supply by the valve 2| and further would tend to remove grain previously deposited in the discharge pipe 21! and draw it back up into the cleaning chamber [8. Hence a means is pro-- vided so that a column of grain sufflciently great in depth to prevent passage of air therethrough is maintained in the discharge pipe 20 at all times. This means takes the form of a resiliently held receptacle 2!. The receptacle 24', as best shown in Figures 2 and 5, is provided with a bottom 25 adapted to act as a valve and to close against an annular seat 26 at the bottom end of the discharge tube 20. The receptacle 24 is equipped with a cross-shaped body portion 21 rigidly attached to the bottom plate 25 and extends upwardly within the discharge tube 28. This cross-shaped body portion 21 is not enclosed around its periphery but rather is open to permit grain within the discharge tube 20 to fall outwardly from the receptacle 24 when the receptacle has dropped to a position shown in dashed lines in Figure 2. A book 28 is fixed to the upper end of the receptacle 24 and joins with an upwardly extending rod 219 in turn attached to a spring 30 which is attached at its upper end to a rod 3| adjustable with respect to the cleaning chamber l8 and the conduit is by means 01 a nut 32. The spring 30 causes the valve or bottom plate 25 to seat against the discharge tube 20 of the cleaning chamber I8 with a force regulated by the adjustment nut 32. For ordinary use the spring is adjusted so that it will support a column of grain in the receptacle 24 which reaches substantially to the cleaning chamber l8. As

- soon as more clean grain falls on the formed column of grain, the weight of the grain becomes suilicient to overcome the upward force exerted by the spring 30 and the receptacle 26 drops to the position as shown in the dashed lines in Figure 2. A portion of the grain forming the lower part of the column is discharged and drops into a pile of grain 32 in the grain receptacle II. Just as soon as the column 01' grain is diminished to a point where its weight is less than the upward action of the spring 30, the spring causes the closing of the receptacle bottom 25 against the seat 26 provided on the under side oi! the discharge tube 20. This unique construction prevents air from being drawn in through the discharge tube 22 as the column of grain retained therein is sufiicient to block passage of any air, and hence the valve 2| as best shown in Figures 3 and 4 completely controls the amount of air admitted to the pneumatic elevator of this inventlon.

The valve 2!, as shown in Figure 4, has a plate valve slldable horizontally about a hinge 34 by means of a handle 35. The valve 2| acts to regulate the amount of air admitted to a circular tube 36 forming an entrance to the chamber enclosed by the skirt 22,

In operation, grain is elevated from a wagon or the like through the flexible conduit l4 and the stationary conduit ii and thereupon into the cleaning chamber i 8 in which the grain drops downwardly to the discharge tube 20. The dirt and other foreign matter lodged in the grain is carried upwardly and thence downwardly and out through the conduit it. The admission of air to this pneumatic elevator is accomplished through the valve member 2! which permits an adjustable quantity of air to enter the enlarged cleaning.

chamber. The grain in the discharge tube 20 eventually overcomes the upward action of the spring 36 which is positioned within a tubular housing 31, at which time a portion of the grain in the discharge tube 20 is permitted to exit at conduit joining said source of suction to said,

grain engaging conduit, an enlarged chamber in the suction conduit intermediate the source of suction and the grain engaging conduit, means for discharging grain from said enlarged chamber, said means including an open sided receptacle having a bottom plate larger in cross section than the open sided portion, said enlarged chamber having an aperture in the bottom thereof for receiving the open sided receptacle, the

' large bottom of the receptacle adapted to fully close said aperture when in its uppermost position, an adjustable yieldable suspension means for said receptacle normally holding said receptacle in its uppermost and aperture closing position and adapted to yield downwardly upon a quantity of grain reaching some predetermined weight within the receptacle, said suspension means comprising a hook on the top of the receptacle, a rod hooked thereto and extending upwardly, a spring attached to said rod, and a rod on the other side of said spring and having threads along its upper end, said rod extending through said suction conduit and having a nut threadedly engaging said rod on the outside of said conduit for up or down adjustment and a direct change in spring tension.

2. A pneumatic grain elevator having a grain engaging nozzle, a suction fan, a conduit joining said fan and said grain engaging nozzle, whereby a suction is applied at the contact of the nozzle with the grain, an enlarged chamber positioned in the conduit as a part thereof, means for discharging grain directly from said enlarged chamber, said means including a downwardly depending tube from said enlarged chamber and having an opening in the bottom thereof, a grain supporting receptacle slidable upwardly within said tube, said receptacle including a bottom plate adapted to engage the underside of the discharge tube and to limit upward sliding of the receptacle within the tube, a crossshaped body portion rigidly attached to said bottom plate and having a width slightly less than the diameter of the tube for vertical sliding movement of the cross-shaped body in the tube, said receptacle bottom plate adapted to fully close the enlarged chamber when in its upper tube 8118 81118 position, and tension adjustable spring means for normally yieldably holding said receptacle in its up, chamber closing position, said receptacle automatically lowering upon the grain therein becoming sufllclently heavy to overcome the upwardly exerting spring means and to thereupon discharge said grain from said cross-shaped body ALBERT B. wm'rg.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the a portion.

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UNITED STATES PATENTS 

